National Geographic KiDS: Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas

Summer is a great time for family road trips and some of the best experiences from these excursions can be the result of taking some time to view the artwork, landmarks, and scenic landscapes that dot the map along the path of your journey.  Whether it is a giant rooster standing on top of a restaurant or a giant statue in a park, every community has something interesting or different to see that makes it unique from your own hometown.  National Geographic KiDS has compiled the Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas to help make your family's next trek into a wondrous adventure.

The National Geographics KiDS Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas is a 128 page soft-cover book that can easily be brought along with a family as it travels.  This book features information and fun facts about all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., to help your family make the most out of its road trip and keep children interested in your travels and learning about new things.  Each geographical profile provides an overview about its official bird, flower, animal and tree plus gives the location's nick name.  Washington D.C. is "our Nation's Capital" while Arkansas is "The Natural State."  Each section also includes a map that pinpoints 5 cool things to do while visiting and highlights the national parks and forests that may be located there.  Additionally, there is a Roadside Attractions column that highlights out of the ordinary and whimsical things to do during a road trip ranging from engaging in educational opportunities to taking in folk art to checking out a must-see tourist trap.  Of course being a National Geographic publication there are also lots of nice photos to look at throughout the Ultimate U.S. Roadtrip Atlas as well.

One of the worst ways to damper a family road trip is for kids to get bored and start barraging the driver with inquiries of "are we there yet?!"  In addition to this book providing entertaining and educational material children can read while traveling about the places they'll be going, the National Geographic KiDS Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas is full of games and activities that can keep children occupied for hours of backseat fun.  There are Boredom Buster activities that are unique to each state which challenge kids to participate in scavenger hunt type challenges. For example in Florida the kids are challenged to take a photograph of every wacky road sign they view and see at the end of the ride who in the car collected the most pictures and the funniest.  Each profile section also provides a listing of either weird  traffic laws or fantastic facts that will wow kids or make them giggle. For example,  in Indiana "don't pass any horses you see walking on the street -- it's illegal" and "Eastern Kentucky is home to so many country-music stars that a stretch of highway was renamed the "Country Music Highway."

CAR TRIP FUN! is a section at the back of the book that provides a "Stump Your Parents" True or False game, picture puzzles and other activities to keep children amused during a road trip.  The best thing about this Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas is it is written specifically for a young audience taking cues in making its text and layout attractive to children from the popular National Geographic KiDS Magazine. When taking your next family road trip make sure to bring this great resource along for the ride!

You may also want to pick up National Geographic KiDS awesome 8 to help distract your kids during a long family road trip.  This book of photograph filled top 8 lists of weird and cool topics will keep curious kids attentions focused on flipping through its pages.  awesome 8 lists include Coolest Roller Coasters, Haugtiest Hotels, Wicked Water Slides, Perilous Predators, Remarkable Ruins, Wackiest Weather Events and Weirdest Wonders among numerous other topics.  Both my kids love reading this 112 page soft cover book that is also easy to pack so it is convenient to take along when traveling.

A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program. Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. I do not receive any financial compensation for my participation as a National Geographic Kids Insider. #NGKInsider

Dynamite Comic Books Explores the Common Heritage of The Lone Ranger & The Green Hornet

I've always appreciated that two of America's earliest masked super heroes originated from my hometown of Detroit.  While the Lone Ranger may have been battling outlaws in the Old Wild West his stories were being produced and played out in the downtown Detroit studio of radio station WXYZ which created the character for a show it began broadcasting in 1933.  The success of The Lone Ranger led WXYZ to create a spin-off of the show in 1936 called The Green Hornet which featured a masked crusader taking on criminal elements in gangster era Chicago.  While these two radio programs were set in different time periods and locations, The Lone Ranger and the The Green Lantern had similar themes in their stories and actually shared a common heritage.

The Lone Ranger story begins with John Reid being a member of a Texas Rangers law enforcement posse led by his brother Daniel who are chasing after a band of outlaws known as the Cavendish Gang.  The Texas Rangers are ambushed and the Cavendish Gang rides off from the bloody scene believing they've left all their pursuers dead.  John Reid is found though clinging to life by a Native American named Tonto who nurses him back to health.  John becomes The Lone Ranger by creating a black mask from his fallen brother's Texas Rangers leather vest and vowing to stop the Cavendish Gang along with any other outlaws he may encounter in the Wild West under his new secret identity.

In the 1942 season of WXYZ's The Lone Ranger radio series, a character was introduced to demonstrate the common heritage the shows' creators had meant for the characters in it and The Green Hornet.  They introduced the son of the Lone Ranger's deceased brother Daniel to the show making Dan Reid Jr. a juvenile sidekick complete with his own horse Victor.  The Lone Ranger eventually sends his nephew Dan is eventually sent East to get an education and eventually becomes a successful and wealthy newspaper publisher in Chicago.  Dan's son Britt eventually takes over running the Daily Sentinel newspaper by day and the wealthy young publisher transforms into a masked vigilante known as the Green Hornet who takes to the streets to tackle crime at night in his own WXYZ radio show.  The police, general public and criminal underworld all believe the Green Hornet to a crook in his own right; a perception Reid uses to his advantage in infiltrating evil doers plans and turn them over to the police along with any incriminating evidence he has found.  As the black masked Lone Ranger has a loyal partner in Tonto and his famous steed Silver, Britt Reed donned in a green mask is accompanied by his trusted confidant Kato and has a ride more fitting of the times, a tricked out car called "Black Beauty."

WXYZ eventually brought the family connection between the two shows full circle in a 1947 episode of The Green Hornet called "Too Hot to Handle" in which Britt reveals to his father, Dan, that the young man is the Green Hornet.  In their discussion, Dan tells Britt of their family relationship with the Lone Ranger and talks of riding alongside him in Texas taking on outlaws.  As their conversation comes to a conclusion The Lone Ranger theme song plays in the background.  Another interesting tie-in between the two shows is that John Todd who played Tonto on The Lone Ranger radio series also has the role of Dan Reid Jr. in The Green Hornet.

The popularity of these two radio shows led to their leading characters becoming iconic heroes of American lore with their stories being expanded into comic books, television shows, and movies over the years.  In the 1950s, WXYZ sold the rights to both The Green Hornet and The Lone Ranger to two different owners.  With that move the family connection between The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet was lost into history as each franchise now didn't have the rights to reference the other.  That was until Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to both properties and discovered in researching its comic book stories the secret heritage of The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet.

In its mini-series THE LONE RANGER / THE GREEN HORNET, Dynamite Entertainment explores the common heritage of these two classic American heroes.  Britt's great uncle, John Reid, has retired to Chicago where he spends his days at a local park telling tales of his Lone Ranger adventures to children.  When Dan Reid Jr. suddenly dies of a heart attack, Britt must return home from traveling around exploring the globe to take over running The Daily Sentinel with his great uncle keeping a watchful eye over his grand nephew.  When Eliot Ness, leader of the U.S. federal law enforcement agents know as the Untouchables, uses Britt to set up a meeting with John to ask for the Lone Ranger's assistance with taking on a Nazi threat within the United States it creates the spark for a new member of the Reid family to become a masked hero.

I found the first issue of THE LONE RANGER / THE GREEN HORNET to be a very enjoyable read with a nice vintage vibe to it with artwork that pays homage to the style of old newspaper comic strips plus well placed references to both the original radio series and historical events of the time when this story is set.  When John Reid gets angry he uses the phrase "I'm mad as a hornet" which is a nice segue into Britt Reid taking up the identity of the Green Hornet.  John also brings Britt his grandfather's vest which had Tonto used to make the Lone Ranger mask.  Descendants of the Cavendish Gang make a return to lead the Bund, which was a real life group of trouble making Nazi sympathizers in the 1930s and 40s, in a new threat that brings together two different generations of Reid family heroes.  The addition of historical figures of the time including Eliot Ness and Jesse Owens is also an interesting touch adding to the stories classic radio era dynamic.  A band even opens up the story playing the "William Tell Overture" which was the theme song for WXYZ's The Lone Ranger radio show and stuck with the character through his television show and movie appearances.  It's said that George W. Trendle, owner of the WXYZ-Detroit radio station, didn't want to spend money on an original theme song so selected the "William Tell Overture" as it was royalty free in the public domain.  That move tied together the "William Tell Overture" with The Lone Ranger as two things that will always be associated with one another.

My dad loved The Lone Ranger when he was a kid and during my childhood we watched the black and white television reruns together every Sunday morning before going to church.  So I've always had an affinity for the character plus with Bruce Lee as Kato you know I've watched my fair share of The Green Hornet TV episodes as well.  With a retro feel this modern take on these two franchises from Dynamite Entertainment is well worth your time and money to pick up.  Stop by your local comic book shop or order issues of THE LONE RANGER / THE GREEN HORNET directly from Dynamite.com.

I've been a fan of the offerings of comic book publisher Dynamite for a few years now because they take the popular stories and characters of past generations ranging from early 20th Century works like Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon, John Carter: Warlord of Mars, Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan to more recent fare from the 70s such as The Six Million Dollar Man and Battlestar Galactiva portraying them in updated adventures for modern audiences to enjoy while maintaining many of their classic elements. Dynamite Entertainment gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval for THE LONE RANGER / THE GREEN HORNET because it reintroduces the Green Hornet the way the character was originally meant to be portrayed through a well done comic book that pays homage to two of America's first masked super heroes.

PARKA'KITO MOSQUITO REPELLENT

 **A Geek Daddy received the featured product to review for free **

 I always enjoy a trek hiking the bluffs of Mackinac Island looking out across the water of the straits where the Great Lakes of Huron, Michigan and Superior come together.  It is always a relaxing experience hiking through this tranquil setting full of impressive natural scenery.  Unfortunately, often times there is one major drawback that puts a damper on an otherwise fun time leaving you itchy and welted by the conclusion of your hike ... the forest full of mosquitoes.  The island may not have bears, lions or snakes to fend off but the wet and shady habitat at this Michigan state park makes a perfect breeding ground for pesky mosquitoes looking to steal a bit of your blood.  Ugh! if you are lucky you'll only be left itching for a few days and being unlucky could lead to a more serious problem like an infection of the West Nile Virus or a case of Encephalitis, among other illnesses.  I've used a variety of bug deterrents when going on hikes in the woods with mixed results over the years.

For my most recent trip to Mackinac Island, I took along with me some samples I'd been sent from PARA'KITO MOSQUITO REPELLENT to try out knowing that it could really come in handy based upon my past treks.  During my hike, I wore a wrist band and had a clip on my backpack that each contained a pellet filled with oils that interfere with mosquitoes sense of smell reducing the critters capacity to identify you.  I was a bit hesitant that this simple sounding solution would work, but PARA'KITO passed the "smell test" as I made it through my hike relatively unscathed without a noticeable mosquito bite.

With people having renewed concerns about mosquito-born illnesses due to the recent Zika Virus outbreaks as well as a societal trend to avoid physical interactions with harsh chemicals, PARA'KITO uses all natural-based active ingredients to ensure that its products sufficiently protect people from mosquitoes without the use of chemicals that could potentially cause their own negative health side effects.  PARA'KITO mosquito repellent is DEET, parabens and phthalates free.  It's mosquito repellent pellets made from a mixture of Citronella, Rosemary, Geranium, Mint, Clove, Peppermint and Cinnamon oils provide consistent protection for up to 15 days.  When they've worn out just pull the pellet out of your refillable band or clip and slip in a replacement. Refills can easily be ordered online and shipped to you.

Refillable bands made from neoprene can be worn on wrists or ankles are available in sizes for both kids and adults in a variety of shades and designs.  Kids designs feature pandas, pirates, monkeys and sharks.  Adult colors and designs range from standard black or blue to cosmic purple or camouflage among a variety of selections.  Clips are easy to use too - place them on strollers, bikes, backpacks, belts or purses among other things to keep the mosquitoes away.



Because PARA'KITO mosquito repellent is a hassle free, worry free product that is applicable for the whole family to use and with which I personally had success with using, it gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval. Enjoy your summer without having to worry about those pesky mosquitoes!  For more information, visit us.parakito.com

Also stop by the PARA’KITO Facebook page this summer for a chance to win their weekly contest on its Facebook page. Starting the week of June 20 through September 21, PARA'KITO will give away two wristbands (a $39 value!) to one lucky Facebook follower! Entering to win is easy! First 'LIKE' the PARA'KITO USA Facebook page. Then visit PARAKITO.com and share your favorite product from the collection in the COMMENTS section of the weekly Facebook post PINNED at the top of the Facebook page. Be sure to use #PKgiveaway in your response. Around 4pm ET each Thursday, they'll announce a weekly winner!

A Family Night Dining Out @ nkd pizza

Having children that not only are picky eaters but also suffer from severe food allergies can often make something as seemingly simple as going out to eat a grueling experience.  I am pleased to say neither of these problems were an issue for our family during a recent evening dining out at nkd pizza's newest Michigan location in the city of Sterling Heights at the corner of 16 Mile Road and Dequindre.  nkd pizza creates a new standard for the term "comfort food" as in addition to its offerings being great tasting their food is also prepared with healthy ingredients in a thoughtful manner that will give people with food allergies some comforting peace of mind about eating items from there.

What kid doesn't like pizza?! Well my son apparently is the odd one out because he won't even try the stuff.  Fortunately, nkd pizza also has chicken tenders on their menu that my son really enjoyed.

When it comes to their pizza there are 10 house selections to choose from, such as Margherita, Road-House & Oahu, or you can build your own customized pie.  We built our own pizzas and they were delicious!  You know nkd pizza passed the taste test when my daughter scarfed down a whole pizza by herself.  My wife and I particularly enjoyed nkd pizza's unique crust combined with their house made tomato sauce.

The reason nkd pizza's crust is so good is because it is made from an Ancestral Blend® of 10 grains plus agave fiber and probiotics (healthful bacteria like the ones found in yogurt for balance and digestive health) bound by water and made by hand at the restaurant. The grains they use include oats, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, teff, spelt, tapioca, and two kinds of wheat. This combination of grains, fiber and probiotics creates a satisfying feeling when eating it because the ingredients provide a slow, sustained release of energy compared to the crash you may experience when eating other single grain, highly processed pizzas.

nkd pizza really has a focus on healthy eating.  They make your pizza by hand using fresh, all-natural ingredients.  No artificial colors, additive or preservatives involved with making up these pizzas.  This focus on healthy eating also means that nkd pizza takes addressing food allergies very seriously which is appreciated by this family who deals with that topic on a daily basis.  In fact, nkd pizza provided us a tour of the restaurant's kitchen to demonstrate their commitment to addressing allergy concerns and cooking with all natural ingredients.

Often times restaurants just provide lip service in regard to customer concerns about food allergies but from talking to the staff and touring the kitchen, A Geek Daddy could tell that nkd pizza really gets it.  They clearly understand that contamination is as important as ingredients are when it comes to food preparation safety.  They've made sure that their primary menu is peanut / tree nut ingredient and contamination free.  Dairy free options are also available.  Also there is a gluten free option for almost every pizza option on the menu.

Of course when dealing with food allergies nothing can ever be easy.  Unlike its main menu dough which is made on-site, nkd pizza purchases the gluten free dough from a vendor that processes it in a facility with tree nuts.  So the utensils, pans, and ingredients need to be segregated to avoid contaminating the gluten free food with wheat used to make the customized Ancestral Blend® breads and crusts in the kitchen and to avoid the main menu food coming into contact with the dough used for the gluten free pizzas which  was made in a facility that also processes tree nuts.  nkd pizza does a nice job of accomplishing this by having separate preparation areas and not allowing equipment to be co-mingled within the kitchen.  At last a restaurant that understands the concept of avoiding food allergy contamination within the kitchen!

Understanding that people with food allergies are often suspicious of baked goods for deserts, nkd pizza only provides packaged treats that contain ingredient labels and allergy warnings on them.  Catering to a food allergy clientele, their deserts are gluten, peanut and tree nut free.  While their pizza and salad menu can accommodate most food allergies, the desert option does contain milk and egg as a heads up for people with those allergies.  Also if you have a soy allergy both the main course pizzas and the gluten free options have it as an ingredient so this probably isn't a restaurant for you. All in all though, nk pizza does a very nice job of trying to be an accessible restaurant for most people with food allergies based upon all the variations of this medical condition.  They also provide a very thorough allergen alert listing on their menu to assist consumers with food sensitivities.

When dining in while you are waiting for your order to be prepared have some fun playing the word find game by the cash register.  If you can find all 20 words you can get 10% off a future order!

If you don't feel like going out for dinner, nkd pizza delivers.  They will bring your meal to you for just a $1.50 delivery charge + optional driver tip.  Currently there are two Metro Detroit locations, Sterling Heights and Shelby Township, with plans for additional restaurants in the near future.  Both the Shelby Twp. and Sterling Heights restaurants will deliver within a 2 mile radius of their location.

nkd pizza isn't marketing itself as a gluten free or food allergy friendly restaurant.  It's focus is being a healthy eating destination and part of that motif is making sure their food is accessible and edible for as many people as possible.  So you don't need to have a food allergy to find a visit worthwhile! Their being proactive to these constituencies is a value added bonus to the restaurant's commitment to a health-conscious menu.

nkd pizza delivers, not just to your home or office, but in providing great tasting food with a focus on fresh, natural ingredients that people with a variety of food allergies can feel comfortable  partaking in.  The best part about the place though is that my family just flat out enjoyed our meal during this family night dining out. For more information, sign up for their e-club which will send information about promotions and special insider perks to your email inbox by visiting www.nkdpizza.com/eclub.

A Geek Daddy was invited to nkd pizza for a complimentary family dinner and tour of the newly opened Sterling Heights location to assist with facilitating a blog review.  Opinions expressed in this review are honest and my own.

P.S. nkd stands for "Naked" because the pizzas are au naturale when it comes to their preparation and ingredients.

A visit to the Michigan Science Center

Though I was only seven years old, I still have a vivid recollection of the day my parents took me on an afternoon trip to explore the science center in Detroit. It's been years since I'd paid a visit and my seven year old twins had never been there before. So being they're the same age as my first adventure to the place it seemed a fitting time for a road trip to the Michigan Science Center. Located next door to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood, the Michigan Science Center features more than 250 hands-on exhibits that can be educational and interesting for people of all ages.

Learn how telescopes work and by viewing a representation of the moon through a variety of lenses in the center's space exploration section which also displays a NASA rocket capsule that was one of the highlight's of my childhood visits to the science center.

 

 

This astronomy area is also home to the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium which houses a Digistar® II projection system with 13,000-watt Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound that projects upon a 50-foot-wide, three-story-high-dome. Check out a variety of live shows like OUR PLACE IN SPACE.

OUR PLACE IN SPACE begins with a tour of the current night sky and the state of Michigan, then gradually zooms out to reveal the size of asteroids and dwarf planets. Your journey then  continues providing a view of the planets of our Solar System, the Sun, other stars, and finally provides a glimpse of the entire galaxy.

Other areas of the exhibit let visitors explore the fundamental properties of matter, motion, energy, and time.

In addition to the exhibits, the Michigan Science Center also provides a variety of shows and demonstrations.  The  SPARKS ELECTRICITY SHOW provides entertaining examples of various facets of electricity including magnetism, static electricity and plasma.  Demonstrations are also provided on the CHRYSLER SCIENCE STAGE involving topics such as chemistry, physics, and life science.

A highlight of any visit is also watching an IMAX presentation on the largest movie screen in Michigan.  This 67.5 foot wide, five story high dome theater envelopes audience in a thrilling sensory experience.  We saw National Parks Adventure which honors the centennial anniversary of the United State Park Service by taking its viewers on climbing, hiking and sailing experiences through the caves, rivers, forests, mountains and other stunning landscapes within the country's famous, as well as lesser known, parks.



After enjoying the movie it was up the rainbow escalator to head home.  I was always excited by this neon light show as a kid and my own children though it was a great way to wrap up our visit.  We had a great family road trip and if you are in the Detroit area encourage you to find some time to swing by and explore the Michigan Science Center for yourself. There is always something new to discover at the science center!

For more information about the Michigan Science Center, visit mi-sci.org

Wahl Fathers Day Grooming Giveaway

My grandfather grew up as a child from a poor family during the Great Depression and developed from that experience the mentality of never paying someone to do something that you could do for yourself.  So this human resources manager for a Detroit manufacturing plant also took on the role of being a barber for his kids.  He took such pride in this role that my grandfather even invested in purchasing professional hair cutting tools and installing a real barbershop chair in his basement.  Once my dad and uncles had grown up and started families of their own, my grandfather would always be filled with glee when his children brought their kids over for a haircut.  I still remember being amazed as a youngster that my grandparents had a barber's chair in their house when my dad would take me over for a visit and to get a trim.  Whenever I see an old-fashioned barber pole it generates warm memories of times spent with my good ol' grandpa.

Though probably not realized at the time they were given, these haircuts created treasured father-son and grandfather-grandson bonding experiences for our family. It turns out we aren't alone in grooming being an important bonding experience for the males in a family.  Research by Wahl, a leading manufacturer of professional and home grooming products, indicates that hair cuts and shaving play a big part in male family bonding:

• 50 percent of guys learn to groom from their father or a father-like figure.

• According to 90 percent of men, the first grooming experience is truly a memorable bonding experience shared between father and son.

• The tradition of teaching is not going away any time soon as 8 in 10 men say they would teach, have taught or are planning to teach their son how to groom. 

Since grooming experiences can play such an important role in male bonding, why not consider hair cutting or shaving tools and accessories for a Fathers Day gift.  I've personally used and trusted Wahl products for years and am glad to partner with them in highlighting their grooming items as a gift idea for this Fathers Day. Who would like to give a dad for Fathers Day a Stainless Steel Li+ Facial Hair Trimmer or an Elite Pro Hair Cutting Clippers?  A Geek Daddy has one of each to giveaway.

UPDATE: Congrats to our giveaway winners Victor from Jacksonville NC & Bik from Rowley Massachusetts 

To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweets embedded below before May 22, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST.  Must be a US  resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per person per giveaway item and we'll randomly select  winners from all eligible entries.  Only one prize per household.

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win a @WahlGrooming Facial Hair Trimmer - A great FATHERS DAY gift idea! #ad pic.twitter.com/M2PVQEtsI1

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) May 15, 2016

&

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win a @WahlGrooming Elite Pro Clipper - A great FATHERS DAY gift idea! #ad pic.twitter.com/KIuy4WcSjW

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) May 15, 2016

Stainless Steel Li + - Wrapped in sleek armor of stainless steel, this trimmer offers impressive features including innovative green smart-charge technology, which shuts the unit off after its fully charged.  It also hosts a series of interchangeable heads for detailing, shaving and haircutting.  Long lasting battery (four hours of run time) and a handy carrying case make grooming on the go uncomplicated.

 Elite Pro Clipper - The latest and most powerful corded clipper from Wahl.  Its bold retro look, self-sharpening blade technology and premium stainless steel reinforced guide combs allow for a fast, precise and uncompromising hair cutting experience.

Since 1919 when Leo J. Wahl invented the first practical electric hair clipper, his company has been a leader in the grooming industry.  97 years later men still turn to Wahl as a dependable source for their grooming product needs.  This Fathers Day consider an Elite Pro Clipper, a Stainless Steel Facial Hair Trimmer or another item from the Wahl catalog for a useful gift that will make the dad receiving it very happy.



For more information, please visit grooming.wahl.com

Disclaimer & Rules / FTC Notice  

A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Wahl is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. A Geek Daddy Blog hosted this contest and blog post based upon Wahl providing the prize to the selected winner. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. Must be a US resident over 18 years old.  If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this giveaway as a benefit to our readers.  A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation or complimentary products for publishing this post.

University of Michigan Museum of Natural History

The week of my kids' Spring Break from school was dreary filled with cold and wet weather conditions, so we looked for something indoors to do that would get them out of the house for a bit.  Our family accomplished that goal by taking an afternoon road trip to the city of Ann Arbor to check out the University of Michigan's Museum of Natural History.  The facility is open Monday through Saturday 9am - 5pm and on Sundays from Noon to 5pm.  A very attractive aspect of this museum is that admission is FREE.

The University of Michigan's Museum of Natural History is located in a 1930's era building located on the college's campus.  Walking into the Ruthven Museums Building is like stepping into a scene from an Indiana Jones movie as you make your way into its entrance rotunda.  Visitors head up a set of stairs to make their way to three upper levels of exhibit halls.

The second floor houses The Hall of Evolution which is full of fossils, models and dioramas featuring prehistoric life.  As you first walk into this display area you are greeted by the skeletons of two huge mastodons.  For my kids though the highlight of this area, and our visit overall, were the fossils of dinosaurs on display here.

While this area has some impressive dinosaurs on display, you can also view the fossils of other prehistoric creatures including a saber tooth tiger and giant lizards while exploring the Hall of Evolution.

The building's third floor is a Michigan Wildlife Gallery devoted to showcasing a collection of taxidermy mounts consisting of native Great Lakes amphibians, birds, mammals,and reptiles.  This area also showcases a long line of mastodon tracks that had been preserved and fossilized in mud which is the largest such display in the world.

Of course they have a wolverine on display!

The fourth floor has a variety of exhibits that allow scientific hands-on experiences plus hosts a geology display of various local rocks and minerals. While we were visiting the museum, my kids agreed to help out with the Living Lab program where they were interviewed for a psychology study being done by college students and earned a small toy for their participation.  They were shown cartoons of various types of robots and were asked survey questions regarding their impressions of the video being shown.  The goal of this study is to determine ways new smart technology can be designed to make it user-friendly for children. My kids felt very important to be able to contribute to this experiment which they talked about quite a bit during our car ride home.

A planetarium is also located on the upper floor of the museum.  It provides a 45 minute show several times per day.  Tickets are a flat rate of $5 per person to take in the planetarium show.

We had a nice time exploring the museum and I'd recommend if you are ever in the Ann Arbor area making some time to check it out.  There is an underground parking deck located a block north of the building that charges $1.40 per hour which isn't bad when you consider admission to the museum is free.  Click here for directions on getting to the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History and information on parking when you get there.

If you want to check out the pre-WWII architecture of the museum building don't wait too long for a visit.  The university is building a new state-of-the-art facility next door to house its Biological Science department where the museum will also be relocated to upon its completion in 2018.